Kazekage's Office's lights stayed on all night.
Pakura was like a tireless top, immersed in the mountains of files. With her amazing ability, she began to understand Sunagakure and began to make drastic changes.
Without enough money, Pakura could only streamline the bloated administrative agencies, abolish the redundant departments added during the Rasa period to consolidate power, and invest the meager funds saved in the most urgent needs of people's livelihood and basic defense.
At the same time, we will reorganize the task delegation system, optimize the process, and try to attract more valuable commissions; let Chiyo lead the team and go deep into the edge of the desert, trying to find new resource points that can replace Gold Dust, even if it is just some rare herbs or ores.
However, in the face of huge fiscal deficits, these efforts are in vain. The money saved by abolishing departments is not enough to pay one month's interest on a usurious loan.
The commission system has been optimized, but the Shinobi World pattern is subtle, and there are still very few high-paying S-Rank tasks. Chiyo's exploration on the edge of the desert only brought back a piece of wind sand and a few plants of limited value, which did not help fill the astronomical hole.
"Lord Kazekage, this is a reminder letter... requiring us to repay 20% of the principal before the end of the month, otherwise we will adopt 'unconventional means'." A Finance Department ninja handed over the scroll with a dejected expression, his tone full of despair.
"The other two families also sent similar ultimatums." Another ninja added, his voice almost inaudible.
Chiyo and Ebizo stood aside in silence. They looked at Pakura's frown and the fatigue that could not be concealed in his eyes, and their hearts were filled with a sense of powerlessness. Sunagakure, this broken ship, seemed to be on the verge of sinking.
Pakura's reform direction is in the right direction, but time is Sunagakure's most luxurious thing. Without a huge amount of capital injection, no matter how subtle the reform is, it will only delay the death process.
Pakura's fingers dug deeply into her palm. She really wanted to fully activate Sunagakure, so that she could prove to Sōkyū Hatake that she was capable of staying by his side.
At this moment, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
"Come in." Pakura's voice had a hint of hoarseness that was not easy for Frisk.
The door opened, and what appeared was not Sunagakure ninja, but Sōkyū Hatake with his iconic playful smile on his face.
Behind him were Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Orochimaru.
"Hey, Mr. Fifth Kazekage, I haven't seen you for a few days, you look... very busy?" Sōkyū Hatake seemed not to notice the solemn atmosphere in the office, and was minding his own business. Earth Flow came in, glanced at the desk filled with ledgers, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.
"I thought you forgot that there is a mess here!" Pakura glanced at Sōkyū Hatake angrily. This damn thing simply left a big pot for himself.
"Don't be so Follow Me. Aren't you here to fulfill my promise and engage in 'economic activities' with Sunagakure? I heard that Lord Kazekage encountered some minor financial difficulties? Oh, what a coincidence, I am the most helpful person." Sōkyū Hatake spread his hands, looking innocent.
"Tsk, tsk, this number makes people have a headache just looking at it. Rasa is really a waste of money." Sōkyū Hatake walked to the desk, picked up a report marked with a huge deficit, and clicked his tongue twice.
"Tch, tell me how to reverse it?" Pakura said angrily.
"Of course this is left to professionals, teachers Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Orochimaru."
"Kukukuku... The environment of Sunagakure is really interesting. According to preliminary scans, although the surface layer of the Chakra-Conducting Metal vein in Guicun is exhausted, the deep structure is still acceptable, but the mining technology is ridiculously primitive. I have several efficient and pollution-free mining puppet designs here, as well as supporting refining technology, which can increase the efficiency and purity by at least 300%."
Mayuri Kurotsuchi let out a nervous laugh and threw down a few scrolls, which were filled with precise and weird mechanical drawings.
"The desert environment is a disadvantage for basic survival and agriculture, but the cultivation of certain special plants... is unique. I have several drought-resistant, high-yielding crop seeds improved based on the biological Ninjutsu, as well as the matching... well, Nutrient Solution formula. It can produce stable output on barren sandy land and solve some problems of food and medicinal raw materials. Of course, it requires a little technical support."
Orochimaru also put down several scrolls, which contained strange plant maps and complex chemical formulas.
"In addition to technology, we at Rōran are also happy to provide Sunagakure with a... well, a long-term low-interest loan with a very 'reasonable' interest rate, enough for you to pay off those annoying loan sharks and start some really promising projects."
Sōkyū Hatake took out a Financial Agreement that had been prepared and placed it gently in front of Pakura. The loan amount marked on it was huge enough to make Pakura take a breath, while the Annual Interest Rate marked was so low that Shinobi World could call it charity.
Pakura looked at everything in front of her - the drawings of ninja tools that represented advanced productivity, the technology that could change desert agriculture, and the huge low-interest loans that could solve the urgent need. Any of these things taken alone would make any ninja village jealous. Sōkyū Hatake was placed in front of her in an understatement.
Sure enough, he still wouldn't just watch me helpless.
"What are the conditions? Rōran will not engage in loss-making transactions." Chiyo knows Sōkyū Hatake too well. His so-called "help" must have a deeper conspiracy behind it.
Moreover, Pakura belongs to Sōkyū Hatake, so she will naturally not mind what benefits Sōkyū Hatake asks for from Sunagakure.
"Elder Chiyo Don't be so excited, our conditions are very simple."
"First, Sunagakure needs to exclusively authorize Rōran Trading Company to sell Chakra-Conducting Metal extracted and refined by Mayuri Kurotsuchi technology, as well as all special agricultural products cultivated by Orochimaru technology. Rōran accounts for 70% of the sales profit."
"Second, the loan provided by Rōran will be collateralized by part of Sunagakure's tax revenue over the next thirty years and part of its share of newly developed minerals."
"Third..." Sōkyū Hatake paused, and his smile became meaningful.
"Sunagakure needs to open the market to Rōran, allow free entry of Rōran's technology products and civilian goods, and grant most-favored-nation treatment. At the same time, Sunagakure's Ninja Academy needs to introduce some of the 'General Science and Technology Fundamentals' and 'Efficient Chakra Application Theory' courses provided by Rōran."
The first one is profit sharing, although it is harsh, but the technology belongs to others, so it is barely acceptable. The second one is debt mortgage, which is risky, but it seems to be the only way to get money.
And the third one... This is a double penetration of economy and culture! Opening the market means that the fragile local industries will be completely overwhelmed by Loulan's advanced products, and the introduction of courses will subtly change the minds of the next generation of ninjas, making them dependent on and recognized by Loulan's technology. This is almost tying the economic lifeline and future development of Shayin Village to Loulan's chariot!